Another long week...but a very nice and relaxing weekend which was just what I needed! I thought about today's blog this morning and felt like I was going to have very little to share about. It hit me today though...if I ever feel like I don't have something to write about I need to step outside, take a walk, sit and people watch....whatever it may be. Because I will always find something interesting, crazy...whatever!

Today was a great day for just that. I went to the park with some friends from school; the bike ride was perfect, the park was lovely, the people were interesting. :) Like I mentioned before, I feel like my adjustment to China has been relatively easy however there is one thing that really grosses me out...over and over and over. The men clearing their throat repeatedly and then spitting. I can't even write in words how gross it is, but it happens all the time, everywhere. Even indoors, which is really nasty.

Anyway, today while we were at the park, a few of us went to the dock where all the Chinese people were going swimming. I put my legs in the water; I'll let you know if I end up with some kind of skin infection/disease. :) We kept hearing this compulsive throat clearing and spitting, and it was really nasty. But then something even nastier happened. This man was walking around, in his speedo, because that's what all the men were doing...very proud they were!!! So this guy is walking and he's about 6 feet from my friend Doug when he lifts his hand and there's an electric razor in it. He proceeds to shave his head, right there on the dock with the first batch of freshly cut locks landing about 3 feet from Doug. I'm sorry...but that's really gross!!!

It's not all gross stuff that you see though...thankfully. :) There was an adorable little white dog with it's owners....made me miss my Maggie a lot! It was so so cute and loved to swim in the lake, even though it was so little. Made me smile. :) And as we were sitting on our blanket, enjoying our picnic, a mom and her daughter walked up to us and the mom tried to talk her daughter into practicing her English with us. It happens a lot actually. Usually the kid is embarrassed, but the parents are all about it. I'm betting that for the parent, it's a way to show off, which is really flattering if you think about it.

A few random things from the week: I found out my old man neighbor that I'm so fond of is a professor of literature at the university near my school. We text frequently...it's pretty awesome. At the pub crawl I went to last weekend I got asked to be in a movie! Haha....pretty hilarious stuff, especially considering that the woman who is looking for "foreign women" for her movie, goes by the name Candy. Hmm....not too sure about this one. I might have to wait a little longer for my big break. I randomly had dinner with parents of some of my students twice this week. At first I thought it was strange to sit down and have a beer or glass of wine with them....at home it wouldn't typically go over so well....but here, no big deal! Kinda cool actually. I also was introduced to a little hole in the wall noodle place really close to my house this week. Extremely yummy beef noodle soup with freshly made noodles, good beef and cilantro! Yummm!!The serving is more than two meals worth for me and the cost....a whopping 7 quay which is $1.14. :) Cannot complain!

Lastly, I finally got a decent video of the women who "dance" outside my building on pretty much a nightly basis. I'm curious what happens during the winter. It's really entertaining, and maybe someday I'll join in. ;) But I've been wanting to get a good photo or video and tonight the opportunity presented itself.

This coming weekend is the Moon Festival here in China and lucky for me, that means I have a 3 day work week! Thursday I'm heading to an outdoor music festival in the park with who knows what kind of music...but it should be fun. Then Friday I'm off to Shanghai for the night! One week of school after that and then it's time for Vietnam. Time is flying!!!!

One of the guys working at the noodle restaurant took my phone in the back for me and got a couple of up close pictures of the guy who was making our noodles. It was so awesome! Kind of hard to see clearly, because it was an action shot, but you get the point. ;)

Doug, Cordelia, Daniela #2 and I enjoying a picnic at the park! 

Cordelia, Daniela #2, Daniela #1 and Doug. Behind them you can see all the vegetation in the water. We saw several people wading in the water to pick it. No clue why!!! We were hoping not for food, but one thing I've learned while in China, when it's comes to food.....anything is fair game! You learn to be very selective...or very sick. :)

This was a little earlier on in the day. The dock really filled up. I'm sorry to disappoint, but I did not get any close ups of the guys in speedos. :( 

I did get a close up of this adorable little pooch. :) I really wanted to go cuddle it for a bit, but I resisted. Didn't want them to think I was a "crazy westerner".











Doug and Cordlia sitting on the dock. I think this was before the hair cut occurred. That would have been an awesomely disgusting picture!!!

These guys showed up on the table in front of me while I was eating with the parents from my school. I tried to not look too terribly disgusted, however I did take a picture. I think I gave myself away! The good news is...they were pretty grossed out too. It's the teeth that really get me. Well....the eyes too. No me gusta. :( 

The Chinese....not extremely safety conscious!

Here they are...in all their glory! I literally walked right outside the gate of my courtyard and this is what I happened upon. Pretty cool! Enjoy :)